Pluripotency Surveillance by Myc-Driven Competitive Elimination of Differentiating Cells.

The mammalian epiblast is formed by pluripotent cells able to differentiate into all tissues of the new individual. In their progression to differentiation, epiblast cells and their in vitro counterparts, embryonic stem cells (ESCs), transit from naive pluripotency through a differentiation-primed pluripotent state. During these events, epiblast cells and ESCs are prone to death, driven by competition between Myc-high cells (winners) and Myc-low cells (losers).